Curse
by Xanta-Freak
Summary: Set in the Code Lyoko Evolution Timeline. What would you do if your days were numbered? If everything you have done is now worthless? Can Jeremie and the gang deal with the slow loss of one of their own? This is a HUGE Jeremie Angst story.
1. Chapter 1

There was no way everything was fine with what he has been through lately. His scientific mind knew that something was deeply wrong…but he kept it to himself.

It all started by these intense, mini headaches. They would appear out of nowhere and caused him to cringe. He did not know why, but he hid his pain from his friends. When he felt one was about to start, he came up with some kind of an excuse and took off. He would run into the nearest closet or empty classroom he could find. He would roll himself into the fetal position on the floor and wait. The pain racked his entire mind as if a fire erupted and he could not put it out. His face was screwed into pain as tears would flow. It was almost too much to bear, as if he wanted nothing more than to rip out his brain and be done with it all. The pain eventually faded each time after a few minutes, sometimes even hours later. The others covered him by telling the teachers the usual excuses; they thought he was just working in the lab on stuff.

After a mouth or so of those, they began to subside. He would get one out of the blue, but they were not as much as before. Instead, he had a constant migraine no matter what he did or take. It was a soft, constant throb in the back of his mind. Like he sometimes did with Odd's ramblings, he simply tried ignored it. But no matter how many times he smiled to hide the pained look on his face, he internally was cringing at the annoying throb.

Sure, he thought it was all just another one of XANA's attacks. Who wouldn't in his circle of friends? But, there were never any towers active, no movement at all on Lyoko and the Cortex. It was because of that fact that brought him to the lab that afternoon.

He had made a quick program to scan himself as would an MRI machine would do for a doctor. He wasn't afraid as he thought he would of having to enter its tall, small space. Especially since it had been awhile since he had gone to Lyoko. When the scanner finished, he almost ran over to the elevators and headed back up.

He was glad that he sat down into the chair as he looked over the results. The news is not what he was expecting it to be. He was mentally prepared for a multitude of different diagnosis…but not this. He sighed in grief and looked away from the screens; wishing it was not so, wishing it would just all disappear.

He snapped his head back and hid his terrible results behind a window filled with codes as the elevator doors opened. He put a smile onto his face as he turned around to face a pinked haired girl.

"There you are, Jeremie! I've been looking for you! We have to get going soon for Ulrich's big Karate demonstration in the Gym." Aelita told him.

"Oh, I must of let time slipped pass me again…I'll go get changed into something clean. I haven't been able to change since our last XANA attack." He adjusted his glasses as he spoke and got up.

"Then you better get going there silly! I'll meet you and the others over there." She chuckled at him as he past her. He stopped before he could take a step into the elevator.

"Aelita?" He asked, looking at his feet. His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he knew he had to tell her something.

"Yes, Jeremie?"

"Have I told you lately that I…I love you?" He could feel himself blush a bit as he kept looking at his feet.

Aelita sighed before she answered him. "Not lately… And I love you too Jeremie." She spoke softly at him. Jeremie forced himself to give her a half smile as he turned to face her. Aelita's face was just as red as his in blushing. She too was smiling at him.

"Yeah… So, I'll see you in a bit?" He asked, changing the subject. She nodded at him as he pressed the up button of the elevator.

When the doors closed, Aelita practically ran towards the screens. She knew something has been bothering him for a while. She knew he was in some kind of pain, but she never voiced that thought to him. If he wanted to keep it to himself, then she would let him. But she wanted to know what could have sent him to the lab after classes today?

She looked over the codes that were in the window, but they meant nothing. She closed it, and then spotted the real program he was using.

Her eyes widen as she looked over the results. A loud sob escaped her mouth as she collapsed into the chair. A river of tears rolled down her face as the terrible news began to sink into her mind.

"No…not this! He…He can't be…He can't have…have…" She cried out between her sobs. Aelita buried her head into one of the arms of the chairs and could not bring herself to look at the screens again.

A small 3d copy of Jeremie rotated around on the screens. There were little lines pointing to different parts of his body. They all had a green check mark next to them…except for one. A small red explanation mark sat next to his head. A small paragraph of the truth behind his illness lay next to it.

**Subject: Jeremie Belpois**

**Diagnosis: Brain Cancer**

**Analysis: Caused by prolonged exposures to the Thermal-Nuclear energy released from the 'Return to the Past' Program. **

**Result: The malignant tumor is attached to an inoperable location of the Temporal Lobe in the subject. Subject appears to have only three weeks left to live without treatment. Time changed to half a year with aggressive radiation and chemotherapy administrated at local hospital.**


	2. Chapter 2

Jeremie smiled as he sat down next to his group of friends. Yumi, Odd and William all smiled his way and nodded their heads towards him. As he sat down, he looked over towards a sadden looking Aelita. Jeremie could not help but wonder what could have made her eyes turn blood shot, which quickly looked away from him when they caught him looking at her. She was in such a great and happy mood when he left her in the lab… but now, she seemed to have gotten some bad news…could she have seen the- Jeremie quickly took his head out of his troubled thoughts as Jim cleared his throat as he stood in the middle of the gym's floor.

"Ladies and Gentlemen…Students and Faculty members… Welcome to Kadic Academy's annual Karate Demonstration! Today, you will see…" Jim went on and on about how some people could be getting their next belts and ranks by some judge from a local dojo. Jeremie tried to focus on Jim's words, on how determined looking Ulrich was as he sat with the other people from Kadic's team. But a small and low throbbing pain began to grow in his mind.

Jeremie placed his head into his hands as he tried to rub his forehead. He knew all too well that this was only the start of it… The pain slowly began to grow as he knew he was about to have a painful attack.

All but Aelita raised an eyebrow up at him as he quickly stood up. Not wanting them to follow him, to see him in his personal pit of hell, Jeremie quickly mumbled to them, "Bathroom." As he made his way down the bleachers, the pain began to grow in strength. Jeremie tried to be as gently as possible as he pushed other people out of the way as he descended.

Jeremie tried to walk casually as he headed to the doors. He knew it was only a matter of time before it would start…. But he was not expecting it when he placed a hand onto the metal bar of the heavy gym doors.

Jeremie felt his heart beat faster and faster as the hot painful flames began to overcome his mind. Jeremie struggled a bit with the door…. Wanting a place to hide from the real world, and enter the world of pain his mind had become. But his body had failed him and refused to let him escape.

With the pain steadily increase, Jeremie fell to his knees as he grabbed his now throbbing head. His eyes instantly screwed up in trying to help deal with the pain, mouth tighten up as he tried to not cry out in pain. He did not want the crowd of people who were so focus on the demonstration to notice him at all. Jeremie rolled onto his back and curled up into a tight ball so he could focus on the now overbearing pain.

"JEREMIE!" He head his name be called out by a familiar voice. He could hear people shuffle their feet to look over at the ball that was Jeremie. There was a sound of people moving quickly down the bleachers and swift feet across a matted surface. Jeremie could make out someone gently lifting his head up and placing it on someone's lap. He forced his eyes open as he could just make out Yumi, Odd, Ulrich, and William looking at him in concern. He looked up at Aelita who had his head on her lap.

"Ae-Aelita… I…I" Jeremie tried to tell her…something…anything to let her know he was alright, that this was nothing to worry about…but she placed a finger on his trembling lips.

"It's alright….I know... Just relax and we will get through this together." Aelita gently told him as her finger moved from his lips to his blonde hair. She began to comb her fingers through it in an attempt to help him feel better. Jeremie wanted to tell her all that was on his mind, but the pain forced him to close his eyes once more and let tears form at their ends.

Jeremie could barely hear muffled voices from afar as he was gently picked up in some kind of strong hands. Jeremie could feel the pain grow as he could feel the movement of quick feet. He buried his head into the chest of the person carrying him, tears rolled down his face a bit as he hoped it was Jim who held him gently.

After a few moments, Jeremie was gently lowered onto something soft. He could feel the cotton like feel of the sheets of the bed he was in as he could only assume he was in the infirmary. A new set of cold hands began to maneuver around him as the sounds of voices were cut down to those of his friends and a few other people. Jeremie could feel the hands check his pulse and feel his head as he could only guess it was the nurse, Yolanda looking over at him. He tried to focus onto the words that were being said around him, but all he could hear is, "Call the Hospital…"

"No...no hospital… it-it-it will pass. It-it always does…" Jeremie mumbled out. He did not want to be sent to a hospital over this painful inferno in his mind. He could hear the voices stopped as they must have heard his plea. They soon began to talk in earnest over his fate.

Jeremie wanted so badly to tell them not to send him there, not to take him away from this bed of flames. He wanted to apologize to his friends for having to see him like this… especially Aelita. Jeremie hated to see her be in pain as he was rolling around a bit in the bed. But the pain chooses that moment to reach its peak. His body soon became ridged as a board; teeth were clenched tight so as not to yell out. Jeremie knew that yelling would only hurt the ones around him. His hands reached and balled up the sheets on the bed. Jeremie could feel his body began to sweat all over as he must be getting a fever. He could feel a hand reach down and tried to rub his shoulder, as if to ease the pain. But the inferno that claimed his body refuses that kind of luxury to him.

If he could describe this horrible pain, it would truly be hard to describe. It was as if his very bones were on fire, muscles were melting away into nothing. His brain felt like it was trying to force itself out of the flames through his very skull. His stomach acid grew in power as it seeks out the destruction of his organs. His heart was beating faster and faster at the speed of light, fueling the flames that was all around him.

Just as the pain and flames reached its peak, it stopped. The flames were smothered out and left him. His organs were once more safe from the acid of his stomach. His heart slowed down to a normal pace as his brain relaxed once more. Jeremie's hands release the sheets as he slowly opened his eyes to the darkening blurry room.

Jeremie looked around and saw his glasses resting on the nearby end table. He reached a still sweaty hand over to them, only to have it meet another hand halfway there. Jeremie blinked his eyes as he focused on the blurry person that clearly had pink hair.

"Aelita…I-"Jeremie started to say to her, but she quickly shushed him.

"It's alright now…Everything is alright. Go get some sleep and we can talk in the morning." She gently spoke to him. Jeremie took a deep calming breath and rolled back down onto the bed. The mattress bend a bit as Aelita sat on its edge. Her fingers began to comb through his hair once more to soothe him.

"Thank you…my sweet, little pink angel. I...I love you." He whispered into the air as his exhaustion over took him and let him sleep.

At seeing him finally sleep without the look of pain in his eyes, Aelita gently got up. She leaned over and lightly kissed his forehead. She had a hand onto the doorknob of the infirmary as she spoke softly to him.

"…and I love you as well, my sweet savior."

Aelita gently closed the door. She reached into her pocket and took out the pink phone Jeremie had given to her. She quickly sent a text to the rest of the worried gang as they had left earlier to go get some sleep. It was just to let them know he had at last broken free of his horrible looking pain and was sleeping gently in the infirmary. She put the phone away before she collapsed into a ball onto the floor. Tears soon began to fall freely down her face as she allowed herself to cry over what had happen to Jeremie.

To see him in so much pain… the way he forced himself to not cry out in pain for what she could only guess was for her to not be hurt. To see the blonde boy that had been her rock of support as she found out about her past and the fate of her parents. The rock that had saved her life so much that she had lost count; the rock that was now starting to crumble. She could not help but wonder if she could now become the rock he needed to get through this. To be the rock that would be strong for him as he was for her. To become the rock for someone whose days were now numbered? Could she be that rock after seeing him so…so fragile and week as he just was? The rock she knew she had to become for the boy that has the key to her heart.


	3. Chapter 3

Jeremie blinked his eyes as the sun filtered through the window. He reached out an exhausted hand for his glasses on the nearby table. As he set them on, everything in the room can into focus. He looked over at the table and smiled at the surprise that waited for him. At some point last night, someone had brought in some flowers inside of a small vase. Five pretty daises all looked down at him. Each one had been dyed a different color, which Jeremie had a feeling they were for each of his five friends. A red one yelled William to Jeremie. The way they had rescue him from the clutches of XANA. A nearby orange one cried to outshine the red one, so it had to be for two of them may seem like friends, but Jeremie knew deep down they were still after the same girl. Between the two of those was a green one. Jeremie kinda figured it was for Yumi. It was like it was trying to keep the other two separate, yet together. A bright purple one clearly yelled out Odd. He had always made sure everyone in the group had a smile on their faces. And looking at it had brought one on Jeremie. But the most biggest and prettiest one was a large pink one. Jeremie gently touched it as he remembered Aelita's soothing comfort last night before he went to bed.

Jeremie let go as the door to the infirmary open up. He soon place a smile on his face as Aelita walked in. She hugged a pile of clothes against her chest as she closed the door.

"Well, well,well! It's about time you woke up!" She chuckled at him as she walked over. She gently laid the pile of clothes at the corner of the bed.

"Here," She said as she patted the pile of what was now clearly Jeremie's clothes. "you need to change before we head out."

Jeremie raised an eyebrow up at her as he got out of the bed.

"Go? Go where?" He asked her as he began to unbutton his shirt. Aelita sighed and turned her back to him.

"Well, yesterday I convinced Delmas and Yolanda to not call the hospital in exchange that you go see a doctor today." Aelita informed him. Jeremie placed his old shirt down and picked up the new one.

"Huh? But why? I already know what's wrong. There is really no need for all of this..." He gently said as he put on the red and black plaid shirt, his personal favorite plaid shirt.

At first, Aelita did not say anything as Jeremie began to button the shirt. Her hands moved gently and tried to adjust the flowers on the table.

"Yes, but it could help us to get an official statement from a real doctor than a computer program." Aelita spoke out as she began to look out the nearby window. Jeremie slowly took in her words as he changed his pants.

"You saw it, didn't you..." Jeremie asked as he slowly finished buttoning his pants. Jeremie looked over as Aelita seemed to freeze in place at his words.

"Jim is taking you, me, Odd, Ulrich, Yumi and William there with one of the school's vans. Delmas excused us all from classes today. I already got you an appointment with a doctor Miller at the hospital. Your parent's medical insurance is covering for it all." Aelita's tone was very flat as she explained everything. Jeremie could tell she was trying to not bring up the fact she did see it.

Jeremie gently sat down on the bed, pulling his glasses off. He gently began to clean them with his clean shirt. "I've been thinking Aelita... I think it's time I showed Laura more on how to use the supercomputer." He carefully checked that he got all the dust his glasses as he let his statement into the air.

He placed them on as he looked over again at Aelita. She seemed to be shaking a bit as he could tell his words were hurting her more and more. Jeremie mentally cursed himself for pushing her good mood. It was just... now that his attacks were out in the open, he wanted to spill everything in his heart to her. He had forgotten how much she still did not trust and like the forced member of their gang.

"We can talk about that later.C'mon, let's go eat something. Odd said he was saving you a croissant if you don't want to go into the cafeteria." Aelita said as she headed to the door. She turned and looked a bit concern at Jeremie. Her eyes could not hide the small bit of pain Jeremie's words have done to her inner self. Jeremie sighed as he got up from the bed and followed her out. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead as they left the infirmary.


End file.
